Point of No Return S5
by Bad Day at Black Rock
Summary: Dean's ready to say yes, leaving the rest of his family angry and confused.  Kayla's got a secret that could change his mind but the group is given a whole new direction when Adam comes back from the dead.
1. Chapter 1

Point of No Return

He stared at the blank piece of paper in front of him while tapping the pen absently on the desk. The letter to Sam was finished and folded; he knew all the right things to say to him. He knew all the things he should have told him over the years but didn't, and the words just flowed onto the paper. With a heavy sigh he took another swig out of the bottle. It didn't help him think and it certainly didn't make him feel better. He'd walked out on Kayla without a word, without even giving her a heads up. Cas was hurt and she was distracted, he took the opportunity and took off.

The letter would have to wait, he'd come back to it when everything else was done. He folded his leather jacket and put it into the cardboard box on the bed. His gun followed, he checked the clip and tossed it in. Next was the keys to the Impala, and Sam's letter. Bobby should get everything in less than a week.

After another drink he went back to the table and picked up the pen. His mind blanked. There was nothing he could say that would take it back.

"Why don't you start with, I'm sorry I ran out without so much as a phone call?"

Dean set the pen down but didn't look at her. "Would you forgive me?"

"I'd try."

He turned and watched her tuck her lock pick back into her jacket pocket. "I'm sorry. How'd you find me?"

"Please." She grimaced. "You could have said something to _me_, Dean. After all this time all I got was the sound of your tires."

"I was gonna write you a letter." The anger in her voice was forced, he saw right through to the pain that was behind it. She was hurt, and she had a right to be. He stood up. "You would have changed my mind."

"Maybe I had a good reason to. Cas is really…hurt, I think. He gave up a lot to head down the road of anti-destiny and you threw it in his face."

"He'll get over it. I can't not save the world because it'll hurt his feelings. Who's side are you on here?"

"Yours, but Dean, we're within eyesight of the finish line." She looked at his box and walked over despite his silent motion of protest. "Wow. Your gun, Impala keys, jacket, letter to Sam, hell you're really going to do this aren't you?" Her eyes glistened but she refused to cry; they'd known, after all, that this was why he took off.

"You remember the future Kayla. You remember what happens when I don't say yes. I can't just sit around and let it happen."

"Why does it have to be you?"

"It wasn't exactly my decision."

"Well it's bullshit."

"I'm definitely with you on that." He saw her expression change, something he hadn't seen before, not towards him anyway. It was guilt. "What's wrong?"

"Dean," she whispered. "He's not gonna let you go."

"Who?"

"They weren't going to let me come by myself."

He looked at her, then followed her gaze and saw Cas standing behind him. Before he could say anything Cas touched his forehead and he blacked out.

Kayla winced and folded her arms in front of her. "He's gonna be pissed."

"Pissed is better than dead." He noted. "You want to argue? If you had told him his circumstances this wouldn't have happened!" Cas reached forward and touched her, sending her back to Bobby's place.

Sam looked up. "You find him?"

She nodded as Cas and Dean appeared. Cas dropped him on the couch and touched his temple to wake him back up. He opened his eyes and shook off the daze, his eyes found Bobby first.

"Welcome back Sunshine."

He got up. "You had no right to bring me back here!"

"You can't hand yourself over to Michael!" Sam yelled at him. "Why would you think we would let you?" 

"It has nothing to do with _letting_ me. It was my decision!" He looked at Cas but he wasn't talking, he looked furious. He turned his attention to Kayla. "And you…you told me you were on my side."

"You have to be here, _alive_, for me to be on your side. I need you here."

He saw Cas give her a look, like he was expecting her to say something else but he still didn't say a damn word. Just stood there, glaring. "Yeah no, this is good." There was no point in pretending anymore. "Eight months of turned pages and screwed pooches but tonight, tonight's when the magic happens."

"You ain't helping." Bobby told him.

"Yeah well why don't you let me get out of your hair then?"

They all looked at him, but Bobby was the one who said it. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Reality happened." He snapped. "Nuclear is the only option we have left. Michael can ice the devil and save a boatload of people!"

"But not all of 'em." Bobby said. "We gotta think of something else."

"Whatever happened to you can't save everyone? If Lucifer burns this mother down and I coulda done something about it, that's on me!"

"You can't give up son."

He shook his head. "You're not my father. And you ain't in my shoes."

Bobby grimaced and quietly pulled revolver out of his drawer, and a single bullet out of his shirt pocket.

"What is that?" Dean asked, mildly wondering if Bobby was considering shooting him to keep him from saying yes.

"That's the round I mean to put through my skull." He answered blankly. "Every morning I look at it, I think, _maybe today is the day I flip the lights out._ But I don't do it. I never do it, you know why? Because I promised you I wouldn't give up!" He yelled at him. They'd come so far in this battle just to have Dean step out in the last act. He couldn't believe it was a Winchester.

The deafening silence was broken by Cas, who groaned in pain and grabbed his head.

Sam got out of his chair. "Cas, you okay?"

"No." He focused his eyesight.

"What's wrong?"

"Something's happening."

"Where?" Dean asked. Cas just glared at him and disappeared. "I think I did more than hurt his feelings." He looked to Kayla.

"He's angry, I told you that."

"I don't like the way he's looking at you."

"He thinks I should have kept you in line." She admitted. "I should have been able to convince you to stay."

"So he's mad at everyone now."

"Pretty much."

He looked at Sam and knew he was catching the same thing. She was hiding something from him. The idea had him completely thrown out of whack, it had to be something big if she didn't think she could tell him, or at least Sam and from the look on his face he didn't know either.


	2. Chapter 2

Cas had been gone over half an hour. While Bobby, Sam and Kayla read through endless books on the apocalypse and Lucifer, Dean sat in the kitchen drinking a beer. There was nothing in those books that they hadn't read already. There was nothing that was going to help them.

He had been watching Kayla and her demeanor as she avoided him. She was feeling guilty about sending Cas to bring him back and he sure as hell wasn't going to make her feel better about it. She'd sided against him in the most straightforward way.

A gust of wind went through and Cas appeared with a guy draped over his shoulder. "Help!"

Kayla jumped up and helped him get him onto the couch. He was unconscious and covered in mud. "Holy shit it's Adam." She recognized John's youngest son.

Sam and Dean came in, they were a little more than surprised to see their young brother, since they'd seen his dead body.

"Wait, Adam your brother?" Bobby asked, he'd never even met the kid.

Dean looked at him. They'd never met him either, just the damn ghoul that had killed him and took his place. "Cas what the hell?"

He put his weapons on Bobby's desk. "Angels."

"Angels? Why?"

He shook his head. "There is one thing I know for sure. We need to hide him, now." He walked over and put his hand on his chest, engraving the Enochian words onto his ribcage.

The uncomfortable sensation brought him around and he sat up quickly. "Where am I?"

"It's okay," Sam told him. "Just relax, you're safe."

"Who the hell are you?"

Dean took that one. "Well you're gonna find this a little, well, _a lot_ crazy but we're actually your brothers."

"It's true. Sam Winchester's our father too. See I'm Sam…"

"Yeah, and I'm sure that's Dean." Adam threw out, sounding less than impressed or excited to meet them. "I know who you are."

"How?"

"They warned me about you."

"Who did?" Dean demanded.

"The angels. Now where the hell is Zachariah?"

"Zachariah?" Dean stepped forward.

Kayla held her hand up. "Okay, okay just calm down. Look, Adam, we're not going to hurt you and we're not going to lie to you about what's going on. Why don't you take a breather, there's a bathroom upstairs you can take a shower, since you just climbed out of a grave. Dean will get you some clothes and you can gather thoughts, alright?"

He looked angry and maybe a little scared but he certainly wasn't going to let that on. He was their brother after all. "Fine." He stood up.

"Hey not to make it sound like lock down," Sam told him. "But we do watch the exits. We just want to share information before you take off okay? We'll tell you what we know, you tell us what you know."

He didn't really see much in terms of other options, so he nodded and silently went up the stairs.

Kayla stood up. "Give the guy some space. He just came back from the dead, we'll question him when he comes down."

"Why the hell would the angels bring him back? What are they trying to pull?"

Cas glanced at Dean but he was apparently still not his biggest fan. "You're guess is as good as mine. Only Adam can answer that question." His gaze turned to Kayla and it was only minutely less severe than the look he was giving to Dean. The emotion still read accusation.

"Would you stop?" Kayla shot at him. "We're a little busy here."

Dean looked between them. "We're not too busy for whatever it is you two gotta say." Of course all he got was silence and Kayla went into the kitchen.

When Adam came downstairs he fit right in with the family in Dean's clothes. Sam got him a glass of water and they hovered around him like a late night freak show. He was uncomfortable, but time was short and they couldn't baby him.

"Just tell us everything." Dean told him.

"Well, I was dead, and, in heaven." He stated nonchalantly. "Except it kind of looked like my prom. I was making out with this girl, her name was Kristen McGee."

"Oh yeah, that sounds like heaven." Dean agreed. "Did you get to third base?"

Sam cleared his throat. "Just uh, keep going."

"Well these angels they pop out of nowhere and they tell me that I'm chosen."

"For what?"

"To save the world."

Dean didn't like the sounds of this. Not one bit. "How you gonna do that?"

"Oh me and some archangel are gonna kill the devil." He bore a smug confidence, like he was proud of this sudden responsibility. The angels must have really done a sales pitch on him.

"What archangel?"

"Michael. I'm his sword or vessel or something."

"That's insane."

"Not necessarily." Cas noted. "Maybe they're moving on from you Dean."

"That doesn't make sense."

"He is John Winchester's bloodline, Sam's brother. It's not perfect but it's possible."

"You gotta be kidding me. Why?"

"Maybe they're desperate. Maybe they _wrongly_ assumed Dean would be brave enough to withstand them." Cas glared at him.

Dean looked over his shoulder. "Alright you know what? Blow me Cas."

"Alright there's no way." Sam redirected them. "After everything that's happened? All that crap about destiny, suddenly the angels have a Plan B? Does that smell right toanybody?"

Kayla wouldn't speak, she couldn't. She felt so guilty because if any of this was true, Dean had an out. The angels moving on wasn't bad news to her at all.

"You know this has been a really moving family reunion but um, I got a thing."

"Sit down." Sam said softly, he was trying not to sound threatening. "Just listen, okay? Please."

He looked at him and sized up his competition; there were way too many of them in the room for him to take. "Unbelievable." He sat back down.

"The angels are lying to you. They're full of crap."

He bit back a laugh. "Yeah I don't think so."

"Really? Why not?"

"Um, because they're angels."

"They tell you they're gonna roast half the planet?"

"They said the fight might get pretty hairy, but it is the devil right? So we gotta stop him." He sounded so righteous.

Kayla couldn't blame his ignorance; she'd thought the same of angels before she knew better. Before she knew Zachariah and his goons.

"Yeah, but there's another way."

Dean rolled his eyes and Adam caught it. "Great, what is it?"

"Well we're working on the power of love." Dean offered.

"How's that going?"

"Hmm, not good." He liked this kid. A lot. Damn it.

Adam wasn't going to budge. He didn't claim them as family and he sure as hell didn't trust any of them. Under great convincing, he agreed to give them a little time to figure something out.

For Sam, the possibility of Adam being the new vessel made Dean even more of a flight risk. Now more than ever he'd want to jump ship and turn himself over.


	3. Chapter 3

They weren't making any progress, what else was new? Bobby had long since run out of books to read and had begun reading them again. Sam had gone down to check on Dean, but she was staking claim and kicking him out. She headed down the basement steps to the panic room. Kayla pushed the door open and cringed at the grinding sound of screeching iron. "Am I interrupting?"

"No." Sam stated. He turned and quickly walked out, but not before Kayla saw the tears in his eyes.

"What'd you do to him?"

"Hurt his feelings, let him down, you know, the same drama I've been giving everyone else."

"Well if you're planning on throwing yourself overboard, it's best to go out on a good note like that."

"It's better than lying."

She shrugged, arms crossed in front of her. "I guess." She could only imagine which 'truthful thought' he'd told Sam to make him react that way. There was a list for sure.

He took her attitude in stride and contemplated what she was actually thinking right now. She had a right to still be pissed about before, but she had to feel worse about the fact that he still wanted to go. "When you're done pretending to hold a grudge you can come over here."

Her feet started moving before her mind told them to and she walked over and slid her arms around his waist. Some debater she was.

He returned the embrace and kissed her on the forehead. "I have to. I have to stop this."

"We can find another way." The sentiment was regurgitated, she didn't even believe it anymore.

Dean took a relaxing breath. She was just repeating the same excuses everyone else was using. "Kayla, it's gonna be okay. You heard what Michael said, he's going to put me back in one piece."

She nodded, but they both knew what the word of an angel was worth.

"I'll cut a deal, sign a contract in blood or something. I'll make sure you're safe, and Sam and Cas and Bobby, everything will be okay."

He could say it as many times as he wanted, it didn't make it any more true. She couldn't even make herself lie in response; she could hardly breathe.

"Sweetheart." He lifted her chin.

"Take me with you to meet with him. Let me hear him say it again." She managed to say.

"You know I won't do that, I won't take the risk."

"Because you could be wrong. You could be wrong Dean, and we might not see you again." She stepped back. "You took off without telling anyone goodbye on the _idea_ that you would come back, and there's nothing written in stone saying you will." She paused. "Let Adam say yes."

"Listen to yourself."

"I just don't want you to go!" She cried.

"I don't want to leave, don't act like you don't know that. We share a heaven for Christ's sake, even if this totally tanks you're stuck with me." It didn't seem to lift her spirits, not even a little. "This is the right thing to do. I think."

"That doesn't mean I have to like it."

Dean's eyes studied her a moment, like he was suddenly on a whole new train of thought. "I love you."

"I love you too." She braced herself for the goodbye kiss, she hated the goodbye kiss.

"I um, I got something for you."

It didn't really surprise her; he seemed to give gifts as a distraction to horrible situations. She waited quietly, nothing he could do would make this any easier.

He sifted through his pockets. "Actually it was awhile ago, it's just, well you know." Dean produced a small piece of folded up fabric. "I didn't want to lose it."

He put it in her hand and she ran her fingers over the material, it seemed to be ripped off of a shirt. Admittedly she was curious, and she pulled the folds loose and saw a ring.

"Marry me."

"That's…that's not a question." She stammered. It was traditional in its simplicity; a plain gold band with a solitaire setting. The round cut diamond glistened even under the dull lights of the panic room. Was he serious?

"When this is over, when we win and Michael sends me back, marry me."

She laughed quietly and looked at him, talk about a bittersweet moment. "Now I _know_ you don't plan on coming back."

"Yes I do." He set his hands on her shoulders. "I'm coming back. Don't be stubborn."

She nodded slightly.

"What was that?"

She fought back a smile. "Yes."

He grinned involuntarily and kissed her. When he pulled back he slid the ring onto her finger and laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"I'm going make a miserable husband, and you're gonna be stuck with me. There's no going back now."

Of course, she couldn't help but fall completely head over heels in love with him all over again in that instant. "I think you'll do alright."

He toned it down a little and glanced to the door. "I won't go without saying goodbye this time." He leaned in and kissed her again, this time he made sure to savor it. It was all he planned to do but there was just something about that ring on her finger. There was something strange about it that he liked, and he couldn't shake the feeling. With a surrendering breath he pulled her around and pressed her against the wall.

The cold, hard surface on her back and the smell of his aftershave, all mixed in with the sensation of his hands on her skin; everything was the perfect combination to drive her fear to the back of her mind. Her breath came in a quiet gasp as he kissed her neck and she arched her body against him. "Dean…"

"Shh…" He whispered against her ear. "Everything's gonna be okay."

And she wanted to believe him. He kissed her again and she fell into the desperate hope that he was right about everything.

Dean shrugged out of his button up and pulled his t-shirt over his head. Her hands immediately went over his shoulders and down his arms, keeping him locked into a kiss as she peeled her jacket off. His heart struck hard against his chest in anticipation, he could already feel her fingertips tracing down his back. He couldn't be wrong about this, he couldn't lose everything. His hands slid down to her jeans and he lifted her up against him. That little military cot was going to get a stress test today.


	4. Chapter 4

The stairway seemed taller on the way up. She joined the group, knowing she was about to help deceive them, knowing she was going to help Dean. What choice did she have? Her loyalty was to him first. Bobby was still stationed in his wheelchair next to Adam, while Cas and Sam were talking in the kitchen. They stopped when they saw her.

"Did you change his mind?" Cas asked.

She tucked her hands into her pockets and shook her head, unable to meet his eyes.

"And you didn't tell him." He muttered, the anger returning to his voice. "Don't you think, that it might affect his decision to hand himself over to the angels for servitude?"

Sam looked between them. "What's he talking about?"

"Nothing." She snapped.

Cas tilted his head and tried to reign in the fury burning inside of him. He expected so much more from them. "Kayla. He has a right to know, before he does this."

"Don't you say it. Castiel, please." Her eyes glanced to Sam and she saw all the questions flashing through his mind. "Just stop talking."

"If you don't tell him, _now,_ I will." He warned her, and Cas certainly didn't bluff.

"Fine." Her answer came out in an unexpected quip. "Do what you have to."

He looked confused by her sudden surrender, but he wasn't going to sit back and let this continue. "Have it your way." Cas went to the staircase and Kayla bit her lip.

Sam's mind was searching for the right answer and he grasped to add everything up. Kayla was always the first to go to Cas, whether it be for help or to help him. She'd looked at him differently since he saved her and they'd gotten close, really close these last few months. He was so relentless about protecting her, physically and mentally and she wasn't even a key player in the apocalypse. He'd always thought it was for Dean's sake, but that night before they met Lucifer…Christ.

Had he really thought so highly of her that he'd completely missed this? _He has a right to know._ Kayla spent more time alone with Cas than she did with him lately, why hadn't he ever suspected? She had been in awe of him since the day he showed up. If it were true, why tell him now? If Dean knew there was something between them, maybe they figure he won't leave them together, or he'll change his mind about helping the angels altogether in retaliation. Either way, Dean was going to lose his mind.

"Kayla."

Before he could question her, Castiel screamed from the basement and it echoed through the halls. A light from the stairs briefly shone into the hallway but instantly died down. Sam looked at Kayla and saw the recognition in her eyes. The expression that told him exactly what happened.

"You didn't." He took off down the stairs. "Dean!"

She knew he was too late, Dean would be out of there by now and out of eyesight. He knew his brother would come running. Sam came slowly back up the stairs and stopped in front of her.

"Michael said…"

"Angels lie! Damn it Kayla," he walked towards her with balled fists. "How could you let him do this?" There were tears in his eyes as he yelled at her. "Of all people, _you_ should care about what happens to him!"

"What if it's the best choice? What if it's the right thing to do and we screw it up, _again_?"

"How can letting millions of people _die_ be the right choice?" He stopped and looked at her. "He gave it to you didn't he?"

"What?"

"The ring!" He pulled her hand out from where it was tucked under her arm and saw the engagement ring on her finger. "God damn it Dean."

"You knew he had it?"

"Yeah." He shook his head and stepped away from her. "I was with him when he got it. I can't believe he used it to distract you."

She shook her head. "That's not true Sam, he'll be okay."

"What if he isn't?" He grimaced. "What if he is? He lets Michael win, and they have their big battle and the angels win. Millions of people die in the process but that's alright, as long as you two get to live happily ever after?"

It was a low hit, and she supposed he wasn't all that unjustified. Still, she couldn't help but remember their time in the future, the future where Dean _didn't_ say yes. "Half the planet is better than the whole planet."

He couldn't argue with that, because no one knew at this point who was right.

"Where's Cas?" Bobby rolled his chair over.

"Blown to Oz." He snatched his jacket off a chair and pulled it on, there was fire in his eyes as he looked at Kayla. "Help him watch Adam, I'm going after Dean. Can you handle _that_ or should I just throw you in the panic room?"

"No, we're on the same page with him." She returned.

"We'd better be."

She opened her mouth to shoot something back at him, but quickly changed her mind. Tension was high and there was no need to threaten each other back and forth. What's done was done. "Good luck."

He ran out the door. Now it was Bobby giving her the look and she sighed quietly.

"Save it Bobby."


	5. Chapter 5

"_The end is nigh! The apocalypse is upon us! The angels talk to me, and they asked me to talk to you!"_

Dean took a deep breath. No time like the present; he had already ditched everyone, twice. At least it was with better terms with Kayla this time. Might as well take that final leap. He walked up to the Bible thumper. "Hey. I'm Dean Winchester, do you know who I am?"

His eyes widened. "Dear God!"

Wonderful. "I'll take that as a yes. Listen, I need you to pray to your angel buddies and let them know that I'm here."

The man immediately hit his knees on the side of that dirty street and folded his hands against his Bible. "Our Father," he began loudly, and drew the attention of several passing civilians. "Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name!"

"You pray too loudly." Castiel's voice was a low growl and he touched the kneeling man on the shoulder. He went limp and collapsed to the side. In the same movement he grabbed Dean by the jacket and slammed him up against the wall.

"What are you, crazy?" Was Cas actually attacking him?

"I rebelled for _this?_" He drug him into the alley, away from public view and threw him against the wall before punching him twice in the face. His power could hardly be restrained as he unleashed it on him. Cas grabbed his jacket and pulled him face to face with him. "So you can surrender to them?" His voice dripped with disgust and he slung him into the opposite wall. The unrelenting anger fueled his movements as he punched him in the stomach, then again. Dean was bleeding from the mouth.

"Cas, please!" He begged him. Michael said he'd leave him in one piece but that didn't seem to be Castiel's plan.

The pleading only made him angrier, how dare he ask him for anything at this point? With what he planned to do, and he was going to ask _him_ for mercy? He slammed him against the opposite wall. "I gave everything for you, and this is what you give to me?" He straightened him up so he could strike another hard blow to his face. As he went down, he kicked him in the chest and sent him flying back against the chain link fence at the back of the alley. Dean hit the ground hard and gasped in pain.

He managed to prop himself up on his arms and look him in the eyes. Cas had his fist balled up and his jaw clenched tight; he wasn't done. "Cas, please." He repeated. "Don't do it." It wasn't death he wanted and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Damn he didn't see that coming; Cas was fierce.

Cas stared at him with no remorse, no mercy and yet his fist slowly released itself. He reached forward and touched him on the shoulder. As he collapsed he let out a heavy sigh of regret. He was an angel, a servant of heaven, and he'd let his emotions take over his actions. He'd almost killed him. Dean wasn't even a heavy load as he grabbed him up and transported back to Bobby's.

"He disappeared right in front of my eyes!" Bobby was telling Sam. Adam had escaped and Sam of course, blamed Kayla for this as well.

"See? Not my fault. I can't make him do that." But his gaze on her was unnerved; she had a whole lot of explaining to do.

"The angels took him." Cas stated.

They looked over and saw him toting Dean, who'd been beat to hell.

"Cas what happened?" Kayla uttered in surprise. She followed him to the couch and sat beside Dean as he laid him down.

"Me." He answered. "I'm sorry."

Bobby was focused elsewhere, as far as he was concerned Dean deserved a beat down. "What do you mean the angels took Adam? You branded his ribs didn't you?"

"Yes. Adam must have tipped them."

"How?"

"I don't know, maybe in a dream." He pondered.

Sam shook his head, the day was growing more frustrating by the minute. "Where would they have taken him?"

Cas thought for a moment. "The waiting room, the one they took Dean to." He glanced back to Kayla, who was tending to Dean. "He needs to be put back in the basement. Immediately, before he wakes up."

"Is that necessary?" She asked.

Castiel looked at her, then to Sam. "And take more precautions this time."


	6. Chapter 6

Dean came to and it was worse than any hangover he'd had. His head was pounding against his skull and pain throbbed in his face where Cas had hit him. Even his ribs were sore from the kick. He tried to move his arm but it was stopped short by the unfortunately familiar sound of clanking metal. He looked dispassionately at the handcuffs.

"Welcome back."

At least there was that. He looked over and saw Kayla sitting on the floor next to one of the storage lockers. "Hey."

"Sorry Cas beat the shit out of you, that was random huh?"

"Yeah you're telling me." He groaned quietly as he sat up. "I see I'm back in lockdown."

"Don't feel bad." She raised her arm, showing him the handcuffs that had her secured to the locker. "You're in good company."

"Ah babe," he laughed painfully. "Not you too."

She shrugged. "I'm an accomplice, what can I say?"

He sighed quietly and leaned against the wall.

"So." She gathered her nerves together and contemplated how he would _want_ to hear this, or rather, how he would take the news without freaking out. Being cuffed to the bed was probably a good thing, at least he wasn't a flight risk.

When she didn't continue he looked over at her, mildly expectant. 

_He'd want it straightforward, _she decided. Straightforward, like he was with her. Most the time. "So I'm pregnant."

His mind blanked and he couldn't even react at first. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Yeah it's probably not the best timing what with the end of the world and all but…"

He finally processed the information. "You're pregnant?"

She nodded.

"Holy shit." That was probably about the last thing he expected to come out of her mouth. He laughed, and the smile wouldn't go away. He knew he should be terrified, he should panic or freak out or something, but he didn't. Without thinking he went to stand up but was pulled back by the cuffs.

The lock squealed open and Sam came in.

"Sammy." He pulled on the restraint. "Dude uncuff me."

He stopped, surprised and confused because he wasn't pissed off. He looked…ridiculously upbeat given the circumstances. He even called him Sammy, after he locked him up again. "We gotta talk first."

"Right, flight risk. Uncuff her. You can take her, right?" He smirked. "When she's having an off day at least."

He looked at Kayla but her eyes were on Dean and neither of them looked like they wanted to run off. He shut the door and fished the key out of his pockets, releasing Kayla from her cuff.

"Come here." She walked over to him and he wrapped his free arm around her tightly. "That's awesome, I mean yeah, _horrible _timing but what the hell hasn't been." He pointed out. "Seems someone is still pulling some good strings up there."

She smiled, she was more than a little surprised at his reaction. Hopefully he'll still be excited later, when he really thinks about what it means. His mind seemed to be in 'perfect world' mode right now. Sam handed her the keys and she unlocked his cuff.

He looked at Sam, who was looking less than patient, completely oblivious to his state of mind. "Sammy." He said cheerfully. "You're gonna be an uncle!"

Sam's head tilted as he took the information in and he didn't have anywhere near the reaction that Dean did. "What?"

Kayla's smile faded because she knew his mind went right to reality. They were hunters, in the apocalypse. A baby was a complication.

"That's what you and Cas were keeping from us." He stated. He did feel a little guilt having thought it was an affair.

Dean was only mildly put out by his reaction. "Yeah I can't believe you told Cas first."

"I didn't, actually. I was going to." She admitted. "But he already knew."

"How?"

"I don't know."

"Well how far along are you? What do you know?"

"I don't know anything. It's not like I've been to a doctor."

"Well isn't that something you should do?" He asked, as if it was something suddenly urgent. "I mean, that's important right? Let's talk to Cas, maybe he knows something."

"Dean wait…" Sam started, but he was already out the door. He sighed quietly and turned to Kayla. "Well I'm glad you didn't sleep with Cas."

She gave him a look. "That's what you thought? Really?" She walked ahead of him out of the room. "Not that it's not tempting, because I would corrupt the hell out of him."

"I heard that!" Dean called as he jogged up the stairs.

She laughed. "He already knew that."

"He's…really excited."

"You caught that."

"He doesn't know about Adam I take it."

"Yeah not so much."

Dean got to Cas and Bobby and was stopped in his tracks by their expressions. "Whoa, who died?"

Cas turned around as Sam and Kayla caught up. His expression softened some when he saw his changed demeanor, but he focused on the problem at hand. "The angels took Adam."

His smile was gone in an instant. "Where?"

"The room that they were keeping you." Sam replied. "That's what I was trying to tell you."

"Well so what, what have we found out?"

"The room is heavily guarded by angels, they're setting up a trap." Sam noted. "So, we should go."

"You mean me?" Dean asked, a little surprised. "You want me to walk into the den with the angels?"

"Wasn't _my_ vote." Bobby grumbled a little louder than under his breath. "Not in your state of mind."

"But his state of mind has changed." Cas seemed to be making an announcement. "Because saying yes, and risking death, or destruction of the planet, isn't just about a group of hunters anymore is it?"

Dean just looked at him, he didn't particularly like Cas using this against him.

He stepped up to him and Dean had to stop himself from stepping back; nerdy angels can kick some ass. "Because if this doesn't work, you're not only walking away from her, you're walking away from your son."

"His son?" Bobby questioned, he apparently was the only one not in on this.

_His son. _Dean swallowed the lump in his throat. "How do you know that?"

"Because you're still under my charge. You know you have a rare bloodline, and any child entering under your bloodline immediately falls under my charge as well. The responsibility has already been set, rebellion or not."

"Of course he's a boy." He tried to sound cocky, and his lip tugged up into that half-smile as he looked back at Kayla.

"We have to focus." Cas told them. "We have to get to Adam before Michael is called down."

Kayla nodded in agreement. "So what do we do?"

"We?" Dean laughed sarcastically. "You aren't going."

"Excuse me?"

"Um, protecting a baby here?" He touched her stomach. "You're holding down the fort with Bobby."

Kayla looked at him, then at Cas, who was giving her a smug smile. He acted as though this was the plan the whole time. "I'm not going to win this one am I?"

"Let's go gentlemen." Cas touched their shoulders and they disappeared.

"Well." Bobby nodded to her. "I think a congratulations is in order. I'd offer you a drink but uh…you know."

She smiled. "Thanks Bobby."

He wheeled into the kitchen and got himself a beer. "Hell of a challenger you're taking on, raising a Winchester."

"Yeah you think?" She laughed quietly. "I can't believe he didn't freak out."

"Tell you what," he handed her a coke. "If by some miracle we stop this thing, you and Dean should take that kid and get as far away from any of us as you can."

"No way." She sat at the table. "He should know his family, his Grandpa Bobby."

"Christ." He grumbled. "Thanks for that."

But she saw the smile behind his complaint. Maybe Dean wasn't the only hunter excited about the hint of normalcy.

He wheeled over to his computer. "Since the idgits are here all the time, you might as well set up base here." He started typing. "There's a good baby doc in town, I'll get you his number."


	7. Chapter 7

They walked briskly along the unkempt concrete road next to an old warehouse. There were hundreds of wooden pallets stacked to one side of the yard but nothing about the place suggested it was recently used. The metal siding was rusted and falling off and there were no vehicles on the property.

"Where the hell are we?" Dean asked.

"Van Nuys, California." Cas stated.

He looked around, a little lost. "Where's the beautiful room?"

He barely nodded towards the old building. "In there."

"The beautiful room is in an abandoned muffler factory in Van Nuys, California?" He felt cheap.

"Where'd you think it was?"

"I don't know, Jupiter?" They stopped in front of the warehouse doors and saw an old, dirty sign reading _Pacific Mufflers & Exhaust._ Yeah, that totally made sense to be heavens waiting room. What the hell. "A blade of grass, not…Van Nuys."

Sam was more focused on the task at hand, rather than waste time on the details. "Tell me again why you don't just grab Adam and zap the hell out of there?"

"Because there are at least five angels in there."

"So?" Dean stated confidently. "They're fast."

"They're faster." He admitted, and he removed his tie with a quiet release of breath. "I'll clear them out. You two grab the boy. This is our only chance."

"Wait wait, you're gonna take on five angels?"

He looked at him with slight impatience. "Yes."

Dean felt his point was made. "Isn't that suicide?"

"Maybe it is. These things are necessary." He glanced to the doors. "I trust you're in the right mindset to keep Michael away from you now."

He felt the accusation in his words and shifted uncomfortably. "Cas I…I didn't know."

"It shouldn't have mattered." Cas drew a utility knife out of his pocket and extended the blade.

Sam looked at it; it seemed an odd weapon against five angels. "What are you gonna do with that?"

"It would be easier if you did it." He handed the knife to Dean and started unbuttoning his shirt.

His fingers instinctively retracted the blade and he watched him uneasily. "Do what?"

"Carve the Enochian sigil to use against the angels." He pulled his shirt open.

Dean tilted his head. "I'm sorry, you want to put the symbol…on your body. Did I hear that right? Won't that do something to you?"

"Not until it's activated."

"Yeah, about that." He grimaced. "I'm not comfortable with that." He raised the knife to Sam.

"Do it." Cas demanded. "So that you realize the lengths we're going through to stop this."

_Don't piss off the nerd angels._ His own words echoed in his head and he decided not to argue with him, if anything to save himself from another ass-kicking. Dean took a breath and grabbed his shoulder. He slowly carved the sigil into his chest and Cas didn't make a sound. Again, he was more of force to be reckoned with than Dean had realized. When he was done Cas buttoned his shirt and nodded to them confidently.

"Wait for it to quiet down." He walked into the warehouse.

Dean pushed the door shut behind him.

"It really is the end of the world." Sam stated.

"Quick thinking brainiac."

He shook his head. "Dean Winchester got engaged and found out he was gonna be a father in the same day. Are you sure it happened in that order? Is this gonna be a shotgun wedding?"

"Dude." He scoffed. "You know how long I've had that ring."

"I'm just messing with you." They quieted for a moment as the sounds of struggle echoed through the warehouse. "What are you going to do about hiding him?"

"Hiding him?"

"Dean, you're a hunter. And a pretty infamous one at that. I mean, you've seen them go after Kayla but can you imagine if you actually had a son? Do you know how many things you've pissed off enough to go after your kids?"

He met his gaze and held it; the ignorant happiness of the news was slowly fading. "Could we be normal for five freakin' minutes?"

Sam grimaced. "Unfortunately not."

The warehouse went quiet.

"You ready for this?"

"Absolutely not." Dean grumbled and went though the door, pulling it securely closed behind him.

The inside of the building looked just as crappy and abandoned as the outside. Random stacks of pallets, leftover plywood and a whole lot of nothing. A body, presumably an angel from the look of the wound, lay dead on the floor in front of a smaller room. Cas must have smoked him before zapping the rest of them out.

Dean cautiously opened the door to the room and inside found the familiar 'heavenly' holding cell. Clean, pristine, it might as well be another dimension. There were no angels in sight but Adam lay against the far wall with blood dripping from his mouth. As he ran over he heard the door shut behind him.

"Adam, hey, you alright?" Those fucking bastards were gonna pay for this.

Aside from the obvious discomfort of whatever injury the angels laid on him, he looked pleasantly confused. "You came for me."

"Yeah well, you're family." He helped him off the ground and draped his arm over his shoulders.

"Dean, it's a trap."

"I figured."

"Dean." Zachariah blocked their path to the door. "Did you really think it would be that easy?"

"Did you?"

Sam moved as fast as he could but he could have been standing still. Zachariah turned and casually flicked his hand to send him flying across the room. The boys were a sorry excuse for martyrs.

"You know what I've learned from this experience, Dean?" He smiled pleasantly at him. "Patience." His hand went up again and a thick river of blood flowed from Adam's mouth.

"Adam." He tried to keep him up but he hit his knees. "Let him go you son of a bitch."

"I mean I thought I was downsized for sure and for us, a firing, it's pretty damn literal."

Dean didn't respond, he was checking back and forth on his brothers; Sam was starting to come to after his run in with the wall and Adam had lowered himself to the floor, writhing in pain.

"But I should've trusted the boss man." He eased himself on to the table. "It's all turning out like he said. You, me, your hemorrhaging brothers." The sickening sound of Adam choking on his own fluids was like music to his ears. He raised a hand towards Sam to give him the same treatment. "You're finally ready, right? You know there's no other choice, there's never been a choice."

"Stop." But his voice was barely above a whisper and hardly menacing. He mustered up some determination. "Stop it right now."

"In exchange for…what?"

"Damn it Zachariah. Stop it right now, please." He wasn't above begging at this point.

"Stop? I won't stop. Even after their dead, you know it'll go on." He approached Dean. "Don't you think for one second that I won't track down your little honey bun, and the seed she's carrying, just to piss you off."

His eyes softened and he bit back a wave of devastation. He looked between Sam and Adam, suffering on the floor. "I'll do it."

"I'm sorry," Zach touched his ear. "What was that?"

"Okay yes." His voice was set in his decision. "The answer is yes."

"Dean." Sam coughed out, the shock evident on his face. He really did it, he really told them yes.

"Do you hear me? So call Michael down you bastard."

Even Zachariah was taken back. After all this time? "How do I know you're not lying?"

"Do I look like I'm lying?"

With a satisfying sigh he turned and looked towards the ceiling. His voice was laced with excitement as he began chanting. Dean looked at Sam on the floor and saw every ounce of his disappointment in that moment. He saw the devastation in his eyes; he'd trusted Dean to make the right decision and he gave up.

"He's coming." Zachariah smiled.

Dean winked at Sam. "Of course I have a few conditions."

He turned to him in a quiet panic. "What?"

"The few people's whose safety you have to guarantee before I say yes."

Relief washed through his face. Of course it would be a trivial request. "Sure, fine, make a list."

"But most of all, Michael can't have me, before he disintegrates you."

The smug confidence left his face and he furrowed his brow. "What did you say?"

"I said, before Michael gets one piece of this sweet ass, he has to turn you into a piece of charcoal."

He laughed in a high-pitched whine, one that wasn't intended to but absolutely did show his insecurity. "You really think Michael's gonna go for that?"

"Who's more important to him now? You, or me?"

In a lapse of composure Zachariah lurched forward and grabbed him by the jacket to growl in his face. "You listen to me. You are nothing but a maggot, inside a worm's ass. Do you know who I am? After I deliver you to Michael?"

"Expendable." He spit at him.

He laughed and shook his head. "Michael's not going to kill _me._"

"Maybe not." He felt a surge of complete satisfaction as Cas's weapon slid down his sleeve. Fuck with his family. "But I am." He drove that blade straight into his chin and through the top of that bastard's skull. Seeing his eyes light up with angel death was like Christmas morning.

The celebration had to wait. Zachariah was dead but the room was shaking violently and they heard that piercing ring of an angel's voice. Dean grabbed up Adam.

"Can you walk?"

He nodded and stared warily at the ceiling.

"Come on." He pulled Sam to his feet and helped him to the door. "Come on, move it!" He shouted to Adam but the door shut behind them.

Adam pounded desperately at the closed door. "No! Dean help!"

He set Sam on the ground and ran back. As he grabbed the handle it burned his hand and he jerked it back.

"It won't open, Dean, hurry!" Adam screamed from the other side.

"Hold on!" He touched the wooden frame and it made a sizzling sound as it burned his hand. "We'll get you out, just hold on! Adam!" The ringing and the light coming from the room faded. He tried the handle and it was nothing but cold metal. It made an uneventful creak as it pushed open and there was nothing but an old office inside. Adam was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

Kayla was waiting by the window when the Impala trudged into the yard. Sam's text had been a short, _We're on our way,_ which meant that Dean was too upset to call her and give her an update. The first thing she noticed was that it was just the two of them. Cas hadn't returned and Adam was no where to be seen. Without him, the trip would be considered a failure. She stepped forward as they came in, the defeat was written clearly on their faces.

"Get your stuff." Dean told her quietly, his eyes wouldn't even raise from the ground to meet hers.

"Where's Castiel, and the kid?" Bobby questioned; he was braver than she was.

"Cas zapped a bunch of angels away from us, including himself." Sam offered with optimism. Cas would be back.

Dean took his bag off the desk and pulled it over his shoulder. He had that devastated look, the one when he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. "Michael took Adam. I didn't get him out in time." Like everything else that went wrong, he was the first to accept blame.

"It wasn't like that." Sam told them. "We were trying to get out, but when we went through, the door shut behind us…"

"Enough." Dean snapped at him. "I left him behind. I left him to Michael."

"There was nothing you could have done!"

"I could have jerked him out that door with you!"

"Dean." She slipped her hand into his. "We'll find him."

He looked at her and felt some of the tension fade from him. As she stepped into him he wrapped an arm around her and the comfort was bittersweet, because he didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve a constant voice telling him it wasn't his fault, and that everything was going to be okay, but there she was.

Bobby cleared his throat. "She's got an appointment on Wednesday."

His fingers slipped through her hair and he kissed her forehead. "We'll come back. Let's just…get out of here."

She nodded. "I'm gonna grab my bag." She turned and headed up the stairs.

Bobby sighed quietly. "I hope you got a hell of a game plan boy."

He shook his head. "Tell me about it."


End file.
